Peterson and Hutchinson were among five Vikings players who didn't practice Wednesday as the team began preparations for this weekend's game against the Buffalo Bills.

Peterson had an MRI on his ankle Sunday, and interim Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said it revealed no more damage than a sprain. But it's still not clear if the NFL's third-leading rusher will be ready to go against the Bills.

"It'll probably be day to day, maybe going all the way up to Sunday as to whether he'll be playing," Frazier said of Peterson, who has 1,016 rushing yards this season. "We've got our fingers crossed."

Peterson and Hutchinson both were injured last Sunday during the second quarter of a 17-13 victory over the Washington Redskins. Peterson was unable to play the rest of the game, but Hutchinson played while wearing a plastic splint on his thumb for protection.

Hutchinson said he plans on playing against the Bills, hoping that a cast will be enough protection to allow him to perform up to his expectations.

"You do use your hands obviously on every play and you're punching with it," Hutchinson said. "When you don't have the ability to grab and control a guy, it makes it tougher. But we'll have to see how that works."

Said Frazier: "He'll have to get out (on the practice field) and see how he functions. He's a vital part of our success."

Defensive end Ray Edwards, who's second on the team with 5.5 sacks this season, also didn't practice. He has a high ankle sprain and might not be able to play Sunday, which would mean Brian Robison would start at left end.

"B-Robison will do a great job," Edwards said. "Just try to cheer him on and give him any keys and any tips that I pick up along with his studying to help him be successful if that's what it comes to."

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Favre was listed on the injury report with ankle, shoulder and neck injuries, which is nothing new for the 41-year-old quarterback who plans to make his NFL-record 297th consecutive start. Favre also has been dealing with an illness -- "Malaria," he jokingly said Wednesday -- that has bothered him for about a week.

"Regardless of what you may think, I'm not going out every week and saying, 'This is bothering me or that's bothering me,"' Favre said. "If you want, we can go through a long list of stuff. Like Steve Hutchinson, I'm trying to get a little sympathy, I guess.